8 to 10 weeks out

• Form your event team. Assign leads for: Event Chair, Logistics; Media and Public Relations; VIPs and RSVPs. Ask partner organizations or other afterschool providers about working together on a joint event so you can maximize resources. Set a meeting or conference call schedule. Draw up a chart listing responsibilities and deadlines.
• Use the questions and ideas on our Who What When & Where page to brainstorm your event.  Check out what others have done in the Case Studies.  Plan your event with media in mind. Some things to remember:
  • The media - particularly television reporters and newspaper photographers - look for good visuals. Make sure your event has lots of color, action, and signs or banners with your program name and Lights On Afterschool prominently placed.
  • Journalists need to file their stories during late afternoon hours, so plan the program for your Lights On Afterschool event as early as possible. If your event goes from 3 PM to 5PM, for instance, hold the program at 3:15 or 3:30 PM.
• Finalize the time and location. Outline the program. See Event Ideas to find case studies and activities that can be incorporated into your event, including literacy games for program participants, families and guests.  Invite guest speakers, including policy makers. See Reaching Out to Policy Makers for tips and a sample Invitation.
• Find out if you need any permits if your event is off-site in a public venue. If it is a park, call the parks department. If a rally at the capitol, town hall or local government building is the plan, contact the building maintenance office or city manager's office. If you are asked for proof of insurance against property damage or personal injury, ask to apply for a waiver of this requirement.
• Set the budget.
• Create your invite list of community members, media, policy makers.
• Design a print and/or email invitation using  Lights On Afterschool graphics. Be sure to include: Date , Time, Location, RSVP instructions
• Arrange for catering, photographer, audio equipment, seating, greeters or ushers, restrooms, first aid, supplies, decorations and entertainment.
• Request a proclamation from your mayor or city council. (See Sample Proclamation.)

6 weeks out

• Compile a list of media to invite to the event. (See Create a Media List)
• Draft and distribute a short newsletter article  promoting the event for the websites and newsletters of allied organizations.
• Draft and distribute a calendar announcement to newspaper calendar sections, as well as local television and radio calendar editors, promoting the event.
• Update your guest list with more friends, media, local dignitaries and celebrities as well as business people and other potential sponsors.
• Remember to pick a backup date for outdoor events in case of inclement weather.
  
  For Advanced Media Outreach:
  • Draft the script for a 60-second public service announcement (PSA) and distribute it to local radio stations. It should promote Lights On Afterschool, and should be written so that it can be read by stations' on-air talent.
  • Draft and send pitch letter to editorial page editor of major daily newspaper requesting meeting with the newspaper's editorial board.

5 weeks out

• Send out invitations. Make follow-up phone calls to confirm all V.I.P. guests.
• Draft and distribute a pitch letter to local television and radio talk show producers, including local cable access.
  
  For Advanced Media Outreach:
  • Follow up pitch letter to editorial page editor with a phone call to "make sure the letter arrived," and to see if the editor has decided whether to meet with your group.

4 weeks out

• Post signs and posters in public places announcing the event.
• Update the RSVP list daily.
• Write a minute-by-minute agenda to be sure you have time for all the speakers and elements in your plans.
• Follow up pitch letter to radio and television (including cable access) talk shows with phone calls.
  
  For Advanced Media Outreach:
  • Distribute editorial memorandum to newspapers with which you're not able to schedule editorial board meetings. You might want to collaborate with other afterschool providers in the area.
  • Meet with your "editorial board team" to prepare for the editorial board meeting.

3 weeks out

• Update the RSVP list daily.
• Confirm refreshments, audio equipment, seating, restrooms, first aid, photographer, supplies, flowers, decorations, entertainment, etc.
• Arrange transportation if necessary for dignitaries and guest speakers.
• If you do not have materials about your program, develop a program fact sheet.
  
  For Advanced Media Outreach:
  • Meet with editorial board (ideal time frame, but take what you can get!)

2 weeks out

• Follow-up on invitations. Reconfirm attendance by policy makers and other key speakers. Share the program agenda with speakers; offer to provide talking points.
• Update the agenda.
• Confirm greeters, ushers, drivers and the photographer.
• Get proclamation framed for presentation.
• Update the RSVP list.
• Distribute media alert telling reporters of the event to arrive 10 days before the event.
• Begin assembling components of media kit, for distribution on the day of the event. The kit should include: a fact sheet about your program: a fact sheet about Lights On Afterschool and afterschool; your news release about your event; a copy of any proclamations from the governor, mayor, council or school board; a brochure or other promotional material about your program; copies of prepared remarks by your speakers; information on how to enroll students in the program; a list of upcoming afterschool events; and letters from parents, volunteers or students describing why they support the program.
  
  For Advanced Media Outreach:
  • Draft and submit an opinion column to the major local newspaper or to several community newspapers.

1 week out

• Get a weather report for outdoor events.
• Assign people to monitor local TV news shows on the day before, day of and day after the event. Tape any stories about your event. Keep those tapes to show at fundraisers, orientations or meetings you have in the future.
• Download the afterschool support petition "We Rely on Afterschool Programs - Don't Deny or Divert Afterschool Funds" for guests to sign or arrange for folks to sign up online
• Print and copy light bulbs to decorate.
• Have your news release ready to go.
• Update the RSVP list.
• Begin radio and television interviews, leading up to the event.

For Advanced Media Outreach:

Draft and send unique letters-to-the-editor to local newspapers, promoting the event (don't send to any paper considering printing an opinion column you submitted).

Two days before the event

• Distribute updated media alert to arrive today. Update with new information about who will attend or speak, and any other last-minute changes of consequence.
• Call local media to "pitch" them on attending the event.

Lights On Afterschool Day

• Distribute news release by fax or email to your media list.
• Have guests sign in, using the afterschool support petition "We Rely on Afterschool Programs - Don't Deny or Divert Afterschool Funds"
• Set up a "press sign-in" table. See Working with the Press and give reporters news release and media kit. Have program or agenda available at sign in, along with materials about your program (see tips on creating a program fact sheet), Lights On and afterschool programs
• Assign people to look out for VIPs.
• Make sure someone is set to tape any television or radio news broadcasts covering your event.
• “Attend” our online Lights On Afterschool rally on Facebook. R.S.V.P. to “attend”—you don’t actually have to go anywhere—on the Facebook event page.

The Day After Lights On Afterschool

• Gather your light bulb art to deliver to Congressional District Offices. Send the artwork with a personal note (download sample) and information on your program, or arrange to hand deliver it. Consider making it a field trip for students.
• Send copies of the signed afterschool support petition "We Rely on Afterschool Programs - Don't Deny or Divert Afterschool Funds" to the Afterschool Alliance, 1616 H St, NW, Wash, DC 20006. 
• Make copies of any articles or broadcast stories and circulate them to your board of directors, funders, parents, volunteers and policy makers at all levels. Keep tapes to show at fundraisers, orientations or meetings you have in the future.
• Stay in contact with reporters who attend your event or produce stories. Contact them in May or June to see if they'd be interested in doing an end-of-school-year follow-up on your afterschool program. Or have the students in your program create a thank-you card. Maintaining that relationship after the event will help you the next time you are looking for publicity.
• Celebrate! You mastered the fine arts of event planning, media relations and community outreach, and your afterschool program and the children you serve will benefit from your work.
• Congratulate yourself and your team on a job well done!